Breckenridge Ski Resort

Like the baggy-pants jibb ers who frequent Breckenridge’s no. 3–ranked terrain parks, this resort gets a bad rap. Yes, it’s hard to get around. No, don’t go at Christmas. Yes, you’ll be sharing the slopes with first-timers. But if you’re looking for a great town and a big mountain where all types of skiers can find somewhere to play, meet Breck. From the T-bar’s steeps to Peak 7’s cruisers, the resort wins praise from parents and park rats alike. The circa-1850 mining town is reason enough to visit, no doubt helping to earn the resort a no. 6 ranking in Après, no. 9 in Dining and no. 7 in Off- Hill Activities—check Riverwalk Center for concerts and shows. But that’s all just gravy. The skiing is what matters, and Breck’s 2,358 acres really do have it all. “The best overall resort, even if it’s not the best in any one category.” Bad rap: set straight. —Heather Hansman

Off-Mountain Restaurant » Hit Relish, in a fresh second-story space on Main Street, for the best dinner or happy hour in town.

Bragging Rights » Sure, the Lake Chutes are steep, but The Burn and Mustang, on oft-ignored Peak 10, are steep and narrow.

Top Event » Ullr Fest, the town’s annual weeklong celebration and plea to the god of snow, is Jan. 8 to 14, 2012. Judging by last year’s 500-plus inches, it gets results.

Let us be abundantly clear: No one is too good or too old for ski school. A lesson with a professional ski instructor will make you a better skier. But we get it: When you only get a few precious weeks or days on snow, you're loath to spend them in a restrictive class setting, following a guy in a uniform down trails of his choosing, not yours.

In an attempt to boost the state of marriage in America—or just get some media attention—Vail Resorts is offering soon-to-be-wedded couples the opportunity to celebrate with a ceremony on Keystone Mountain in exchange for a 2010-2011 season pass. The wedding can go off anytime between Nov. 30 2009 and Nov. 30 2010, and the his-and-her season passes are good at Keystone, as well as at Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin. You gotta admit: A season pass puts your china settings to shame.

Let's say you bought a season pass, but you lost your job before the season even started. Are you screwed? Not if you opted for Vail Resorts' Pass Insurance program. For an extra $20 for adult, teen or senior passes (or $10 for children's passes), you'd be able to recover at least some, if not all, of your investment. Break a leg before the season even starts? Full refund. Get pregnant after opening day? Partial refund. Called up for duty two weeks after opening day? Partial refund.

The Germans are a giving people: Even though the original (and absolute best) Oktoberfest still resides in Munich, the party has spread throughout the world—and certainly throughout ski country. This fall, you can hoist your steins and prime yourself for winter at any number of resorts from East to West (lederhosen and dirndls optional). Here are a few of our faves.

Last winter, the disappearance of several pets in Breckenridge, Colo., was blamed on a local pack of coyotes. But this week biologists with the Colorado Division of Wildlife are saying that recent sightings of coyotes down the hill in Frisco -- which sits within short driving distance to Breck, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin -- shouldn't worry locals.